# DIY home fecal transplants are now a thing **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 27, 2014, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-home-fecal-transplants-are-now-a-thing/689350 "2014-05-27T03:57:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-home-fecal-transplants-are-now-a-thing/689350/1 "2014-05-27T03:57:31Z")
I ran across [this article](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-27503660) on the BBC about people doing their own fecal transplants. This news struck a chord with me, because in the thread [Phrases you don’t really want associated with your name…](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=717045), I came up with [“homemade fecal transplant recipient”](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17221814&postcount=127). I’d like the record to show that I was thinking about homemade fecal transplants before they were cool! Now, being a grown-up, I realize that this is a serious procedure to relieve serious ills, but the kid in me loves living in a world where curing a medical problem may require you to go home and get a loved one’s poop to put in your butt. There but for the grace of God goes my family’s poop, I suppose. I also want to imagine that this woman in the article called the BBC and said “Hey guys, have I got a story for you…” ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-home-fecal-transplants-are-now-a-thing/689350/2 "2014-05-27T04:51:06Z")
I’m gonna have to add this to the category of stuff I don’t want to know about, and would have been happier not even knowing it exists. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-home-fecal-transplants-are-now-a-thing/689350/3 "2014-05-27T04:56:32Z")
It’s a slippery slope from here to coprophagia. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-home-fecal-transplants-are-now-a-thing/689350/4 "2014-05-27T05:20:00Z")
As I understand that shortly after you start actively living with and engaging in sex with a significant other you more or less start sharing bacterial suites, I would imagine you need a fecal donation from someone you are not closely associated with if you want to change the overall composition of your intestinal bacterial suite. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-home-fecal-transplants-are-now-a-thing/689350/5 "2014-05-27T05:34:18Z")
…I have to admit, I initially misread the title as “home _facial_ transplants.” Which is, somehow, almost _less_ disturbing. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![spotthegerbil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@spotthegerbil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spotthegerbil)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-home-fecal-transplants-are-now-a-thing/689350/6 "2014-05-27T23:06:10Z")
Surprisingly, this news article came up in over-dinner conversation. Mrs G was having a haggis supper\* covered with HP sauce\*\*, I was having a steak and gravy pie supper, also with HP. Not sure if it was the colour or texture of dinner that brought the topic to mind… I have to ask, if I have a fecal transplant, will my farts start smelling the same as the donors farts? Does my unique gas composition come from the bacteria, or dies it come from other digestive processes? - X supper, where X can be fish, pizza, various sausages, white, black or red puddings and even Mars bars to name a few, all battered and deep fried and served with chips. It’s the Weightwatchers diet for Scots. \*\* HP sauce. It’s brown. [Link to advert](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCpn2Dh1YuM). ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-home-fecal-transplants-are-now-a-thing/689350/7 "2014-05-27T23:25:51Z")
“Bacterial suites”? That makes it sound like some sort of terrifying fashion accessory. Or living space. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-home-fecal-transplants-are-now-a-thing/689350/8 "2014-05-27T23:30:15Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > “Bacterial suites”? That makes it sound like some sort of terrifying fashion accessory. Or living space. I thought it was a really nasty orchestral concert. “Next up, we have “The Bacterial Suite”, by Rachmaninoff” ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-home-fecal-transplants-are-now-a-thing/689350/9 "2014-05-27T23:31:37Z")
> [@spotthegerbil](#): > > I have to ask, if I have a fecal transplant, will my farts start smelling the same as the donors farts? Only one way to find out I guess. My bet is that they will smell like shit. ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-home-fecal-transplants-are-now-a-thing/689350/10 "2014-05-28T18:56:22Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > As I understand that shortly after you start actively living with and engaging in sex with a significant other you more or less start sharing bacterial suites, I would imagine you need a fecal donation from someone you are not closely associated with if you want to change the overall composition of your intestinal bacterial suite. You’d think, but it’s not actually so. People’s intestinal biome (which I prefer to ‘bacterial suite’) is not just unique but varies wildly from individuals according to their state of health, their diet, and what types of antibiotics they’ve ever taken. Twins might have completely different intestinal biomes if one of them had an ear infection as a child and took a course of penicillin. Or if one is a vegan and the other is a meat eater. Ideally, if you needed a fecal transplant, you’d get one from a close relative with healthy bowels. Currently, the healthy bowels part is much more important than the close relative part. The other thing is that to work best, the bacteria needs to be deposited fairly high up in the intestinal tract. Like, in the small intestine. A homemade poop enema is not going to do it. Or at least, the success rate won’t be anywhere near as close as one done by a gastroenterologist who can put the patient under sedation and snake the dose as far up as possible. Last I read, there’s a company trying to create capsules with a plentiful replenishment of the friendly biota that are swallowed and break down in the small intestine. It works even better than the other approach, but they are still up against a serious ick factor. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-home-fecal-transplants-are-now-a-thing/689350/11 "2014-05-29T02:40:33Z")
People care enough about me that they’re always warning me of the dangers of ingesting fecal matter. Why, hardly a day goes by that someone doesn’t tell me, “Eat shit and die!” ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Stilettos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/fbc32d/32.png) [@Red\_Stilettos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Stilettos)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-home-fecal-transplants-are-now-a-thing/689350/12 "2014-05-29T02:49:22Z")
> [@phouka](#): > > Last I read, there’s a company trying to create capsules with a plentiful replenishment of the friendly biota that are swallowed and break down in the small intestine. It works even better than the other approach, but they are still up against a serious ick factor. A colleague of mine is working on the fecal transplant pill. According to her, the patients needing fecal transplants have been so ill for so long that they don’t hesitate at the idea. This is not intended for minor, transient problems but rather chronic, debilitating issues like chronic C. diff infections. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-home-fecal-transplants-are-now-a-thing/689350/13 "2014-05-30T14:18:29Z")
> [@spotthegerbil](#): > > … > I have to ask, if I have a fecal transplant, will my farts start smelling the same as the donors farts? Does my unique gas composition come from the bacteria, or dies it come from other digestive processes? … Taken together, your username and post prompt some odd thoughts about your animal husbandry practices. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-home-fecal-transplants-are-now-a-thing/689350/14 "2014-05-30T16:40:36Z")
> [@phouka](#): > > Last I read, there’s a company trying to create capsules with a plentiful replenishment of the friendly biota that are swallowed and break down in the small intestine. It works even better than the other approach, but they are still up against a serious ick factor. I’m curious about how they get the capsule past the stomach’s acids still intact but have it break down in the small intestine. I am leery of probiotics that come in capsules too, for the same reason. What material would hold up against stomach acids but break down in the small intestine? ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-home-fecal-transplants-are-now-a-thing/689350/15 "2014-05-30T21:43:05Z")
Cecil’s column last week was sort of related: [What’s the story on probiotics? - The Straight Dope](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/3163/what-s-the-story-on-probiotics) ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-home-fecal-transplants-are-now-a-thing/689350/16 "2014-05-30T23:14:39Z")
In my day we just called it anal ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-home-fecal-transplants-are-now-a-thing/689350/17 "2014-05-31T00:52:08Z")
> [@carnut](#): > > I’m curious about how they get the capsule past the stomach’s acids still intact but have it break down in the small intestine. Pssht. Easy, just use a more robust pill casing…rigged with explosive bolts and a timer. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-home-fecal-transplants-are-now-a-thing/689350/18 "2014-05-31T22:11:59Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > Pssht. Easy, just use a more robust pill casing…rigged with explosive bolts and a timer. D’oh, why didn’t I think of that?:smack: ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-home-fecal-transplants-are-now-a-thing/689350/19 "2014-05-31T22:19:33Z")
> [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](#): > > Cecil’s column last week was sort of related: [What’s the story on probiotics? - The Straight Dope](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/3163/what-s-the-story-on-probiotics) But it doesn’t touch on my question about the capsules. I’m really curious about how probiotics survive the stomach’s acids. I don’t think the capsules protect the little critters. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-home-fecal-transplants-are-now-a-thing/689350/20 "2014-05-31T22:29:37Z")
Previous thread: [Fecal transplant: is it for you?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=592536) If you’ve got C. Difficile that’s killing you, it probably is for you. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-home-fecal-transplants-are-now-a-thing/689350.md?page=2)